Assembly for removably fixing a cloth in a furnishing article

ABSTRACT

An assembly is disclosed for removably fixing a cloth in a furnishing article, wherein snap locking means are provided inserted into slots provided within the cloth and thus engaging holes having corresponding shapes and dimensions arranged on the frame of the furnishing article.

This application is a Continuation of pending International ApplicationNo. PCT/IT2004/000282 filed May 19, 2004. International Application No.PCT/IT2004/00282 filed May 19, 2004 is incorporated herein, in itsentirety, by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an assembly for removably fixing a clothto a substantially rigid frame of a furnishing article. In particular,the invention relates to furnishing articles which are provided with aframe onto which a cloth is fixed which completes the article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typical examples of such furnishing articles are chairs, armchairs,cots, deckchairs or the like, principally but not exclusively destinedto outdoor furnishing, for example in beach resorts, swimming pools,etc.

In this type of articles, the frame is generally made in a plasticmaterial, for example in polypropylene (PP), while the cloth may be madenot only with fabrics made of woven fibers, but also with “fabrics”realized as a continuous sheet in a plastic material, as for examplepolyvinylchloride (PVC), by way of known materials and methods whichmake it possible to obtain a substantially flexible and particularlystrong sheef-like material.

Later on, the word “cloth” will be herein adopted in its larger meaningto both identify a cloth made with woven fibers, and a continuous clothmade as a sheet of a plastic material.

In the aforesaid furnishing articles it is seasonable for the cloth tobe securely joinable to the frame, because the same cloth has to upholdhigh loads anyway. However, it is often preferable for the cloth to beeasily removable from the frame when its replacement is required.

For these reasons, different fixing devices have been hereto provided inthe technique, wherein snap locking means are utilized coupled invarious ways to the cloth and are suitable to engage the frame in orderto keep the same cloth into position.

For example, it is known to realize a beach cot wherein the cloth ispre-shaped according to the contour of a groove provided on the rigidframe. A semi-rigid reinforcing belt is applied on the clothperpendicularly positioned with respect to the plane of the cloth andsuitable to be inserted in the groove of the frame. The removably fixingdevice comprises snap locking means located along a single piececornice, also shaped according to the contour of the frame groove, andsuitable to engage corresponding through holes provided on the bottom ofthe groove.

A system of this kind is particularly expensive to assemble because ofthe numerous processings necessary for shaping and prearrange the cloth.Moreover, the fixing and the removal of the cloth to/from the frame aredifficult because possible irregular arrangements of the cloth and/or ofthe single piece cornice in any point of the groove impose to makesubsequent locking and unlocking attempts of the cornice. This alsoincreases the possibility for the single piece cornice to be damaged,thus compromising the correct fixing of the cloth to the frame.

Also systems are known wherein the cloth is fixed to one or more bars,in plastic material, through metallic self-tapping screws near theperipheral edges of the cloth. The bars include snap coupling meanswhich are then engaged in corresponding holes provided in one or morecorresponding grooves of the frame.

Also in this case, costs and production time are considerable, mostlybecause of the need of screwing the cloth to the bars. The look of theproduct realized in this way is moreover unattractive and gets worsenaturally as time passes because of oxidation of the metallic screws.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly whichallows for removably fixing a cloth to the frame of a furnishing articlein a particularly simple and economic way.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of theaforesaid type which is easy to use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly ofthe aforesaid type which permits to obtain a final product having apleasant and lasting look.

These objects are achieved by the present invention, which concerns anassembly for removably fixing a cloth in a furnishing article, whereinthe furnishing article comprises at least one substantially rigid frame,the assembly comprising a cloth, snap locking means integral with atleast one bar and projecting from it, the snap locking means beingsuitable to be engaged into holes having corresponding shape anddimensions provided on the frame of the furnishing article,characterized in that the snap locking means projecting from the bar (orthe bars) are inserted in slots having corresponding shape anddimensions provided within the cloth.

The invention allows to achieve, in a particularly easy and economicway, the coupling between the bars comprising the snap locking means andthe cloth, with considerable advantages from the point of view of theeconomy and the simplicity of the processing.

The slots are provided near one or more peripheral edges of the cloth.The latter is preferably folded around the bar (or the bars) and theterminal free edge can be eventually fixed to the same cloth in order toform a closed section wherein the bar (or the bars) is (are) lodged.

The bar (or the bars) and the portions of the cloth folded around it(them) are preferably concealingy inserted into a groove provided withinthe frame of the furnishing article. In this way, the portions of thecloth folded around the bar (or the bars) are blocked between the barand the lateral sides of the groove, ensuring in this way a particularlysteady and secure fastening.

According to another aspect of the present invention, at least two barsare removably joinable one to the other, through snap locking means, incorrespondence of respective ends in order to form a unique elementsuitable to adapt to a longer fixing length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be moreevident from the following description, made as an illustrative, nonlimitative, example with reference to the accompanying schematicdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a possible embodiment of afixing assembly according to the present invention, wherein someparticulars are omitted;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view which shows the mounting of an assemblylike the one represented in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another possible embodiment ofa fixing assembly according to the present invention, wherein someparticulars are omitted;

FIG. 4 is a cross section view which shows the mounting of an assemblylike the one represented in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view which shows the linking arrangement betweentwo consecutive bars according to a possible embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross section view of another possible embodimentof a fixing assembly according to the present invention applied to thebackrest of a seat.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The reference number 10, in FIGS. 1 and 2, identifies a cloth for afurnishing article which has to be removably fixed to the frame 20 of afurnishing article.

The fixing is achieved by a bar 30 comprising snap locking means 35projecting from the same bar and intended to engage through holes 25,having suitable shape and dimensions, provided on the bottom wall of agroove 21 of the frame 20. The bar 30 and the frame 20 may be made forexample of a substantially rigid plastic material, as for examplepolypropylene or the like.

According to the invention, the snap locking means 35 are inserted intoslots 15, which also have suitable shape and dimensions, provided withinthe cloth 10 in order to block the same cloth once the snap lockingmeans are inserted into corresponding holes 25.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slots 15 are provided nearthe terminal edge 12 of the cloth 10 at a distance sufficient to allowthe fixing of the edge 12 to the remaining cloth 10, for example bysewing, welding, gluing or the like, so as to form a closed sectionwherein the bar 30 is lodged.

In a possible embodiment, represented in FIGS. 3 and 4, the terminaledge 12 of the cloth 10 is not fixed to the remaining of the cloth butis left free. In this case the slots 15 within the cloth 10 may beprovided also at a distance different from that one of the previouslydescribed embodiment. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is furthermore economic to be made compared with the one shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,because the fixing of the terminal edge 12 to the remaining of the clothis not required.

Independently from the particular embodiment, the portions of the clothfolded around the bar 30 are in any case restrained between the bar 30and the lateral sides of the groove 21, and the set bar/cloth isconcealingly inserted in the groove 21. Consequently, in the case thatthe terminal edge 12 fixed to the cloth 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2), wouldseparate from the remaining cloth, a secure fixing of the cloth 10 tothe frame 20 will be anyhow guaranteed.

In FIG. 5 it is illustrated a further aspect of the present invention,according to which it is provided that two or more bars 20 a and 20 bcan be connected in a removable way. This can be achieved for examplewith snap locking means comprising a terminal portion 23 having a wedgeshape with a tapering upwardly and a blocking shoulder 24 on the bar 20a.

On the following bar 20 b, instead, it is present an end 26 whichprovides a window 27 and a guide wall 28, in such a way that the wedgeportion 23 is guided until it enters the window 27 with the shoulderportion 24 abutting against one of the lateral edges of the some.

In order to provide the uncoupling between the two bars 20 a and 20 b itmay be provided, for example, that the guide wall 28 had shape anddimensions such as to guarantee certain elasticity when the blockingshoulder 24 is forced to disengage the window 27,

FIG. 6 illustrates a possible application of the fixing assemblyaccording to the invention to the backrest of a seat. The frame, hereinrepresented in a schematic way, comprises an upper crossbar 201 and aportion 202 joined to the sitting plane of the seat. In correspondenceof the upper crossbar 201, the cloth 10 is coupled to a bar 300 and thusfolded around the crossbar 201 in such a way to cover the same crossbarwith the cloth. The fixing in correspondence of the portion 202 of theframe is achieved according to the aforesaid embodiment with referenceto Figures from 1 to 4.

Various modifications may be provided for the present invention withoutdeparting from the scope of the same invention. For example, the snaplocking means 35 of the bars 20 can be made also in a different way fromthe one so far represented, as well as the slots 15 of the cloth 10 andthe holes 25 of the frame. Also the groove 21 of the frame 10 may beprovided on the lower part of the frame, or anyhow in a hidden positionof the same frame.

1. An assembly for removably fixing a cloth in a furnishing articlewherein said furnishing article comprises at least one substantiallyrigid frame, the assembly comprising a cloth and snap locking meansintegral with at least one bar and projecting from the same, said snaplocking means being suitable to engage holes having corresponding shapeand dimensions provided on the frame of said furnishing article,characterized in that said snap locking means projecting from said atleast one bar are inserted in slots having corresponding shape anddimension provided within said cloth.
 2. A removably fixing assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein said slots are arranged near one or moreperipheral edges of said cloth.
 3. A removably fixing assembly accordingto claim 1, wherein said cloth is folded around said at least one bar.4. A removably fixing assembly according to claim 1, wherein said clothis folded around said at least one bar and wherein the terminal edge ofsaid cloth is fixed to the same cloth in order to form a closed sectionwherein said at least one bar is lodged.
 5. A removably fixing assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein said at least one bar and the portions ofsaid cloth folded around it are concealingly inserted in a groove of theframe of said furnishing article.
 6. A removably fixing assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the cloth portions folded around said atleast one bar are blocked between said at least one bar and the lateralsides of said groove.
 7. A removably fixing assembly according to claim1, wherein said holes suitable to receive said snap locking means arethrough holes provided on the bottom wall of said groove of the frame ofsaid furnishing article.
 8. A removably fixing assembly according toclaim 1, wherein at least two bars are provided being mutually joinablein a removable way in correspondence of respective ends by way of snaplocking means.